State of Origin vibe driving Heat to BBL glory
THE rampaging Brisbane Heat is being driven by a State of Origin underdog vibe that has hoisted it to one win from a shock Big Bash title.
The Heat will enter Saturday’s Big Bash final against the Perth Scorchers in Perth with the blissful freedom that comes with going far further than anyone expected.
After winning only two of its first nine games, it was in grave danger of finishing last before storming home with seven wins in eight matches including Thursday’s stunning upset of the Sydney Sixers.
“I feel as if we have the freedom of the underdog,’’ captain Jimmy Peirson said.
“It allows you to take a breath and do your job. Particularly for a side which is quite young and inexperienced in some places.
“The feeling around the groups is relaxed. It is not so much we have nothing to lose but we don’t have the home town pressure of having to win and smash the opposition.
“The pressure is on them. We are the underdogs.
“We are a Queensland team. You look at some of our best Shield wins in the 1990s and early 2000s. They were backs-against-the-wall stuff. And, of course, our Origin team is how we played our sport in Queensland.
“That is what Queensland teams do and we are starting to build that culture. That grit and determination to find a way to win. It might not always be sexy and pretty, but if we win, it doesn’t matter. We are starting to build a culture.’’
A key man for the Heat on a day tipped to reach 38C will be speed weapon Spencer Johnson whose height, pace and swing could be a supreme challenge for the home side on the bouncy Perth deck.
Perth’s “Wild Thing’’ Lance Morris will be absent in India but the Heat will present its “Mild Thing’’ in Johnson.